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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28325451">captured ghosts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintyyfresh/pseuds/minty'>minty (mintyyfresh)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>minty's sbi fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>All Platonic - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Antarctic Empire, Depressed TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Exiled TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Family Dynamics, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, No shipping, Post-Manberg-Pogtopia War on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Suicidal Thoughts, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, no beta we die like canon fd, obviously cuz we're not fuckin gross here boys, will add more tags as i think of it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:29:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,365</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28325451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintyyfresh/pseuds/minty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A gentle breeze whistled through the nearby trees, illuminated by glowing stars.</p><p>The acres of snow shimmered under the moonlight, stretching out in every direction as far as the eye could see. </p><p>It was a quiet night on the balcony. </p><p>Phil was alone.</p><p>Or at least, he thought he was.</p><p>-----</p><p>Phil makes a promise.</p><p>It's a promise he can't keep.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Family Dynamic - Relationship, Technoblade &amp; Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit &amp; Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot &amp; Phil Watson, sbi fd au because i want to</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>minty's sbi fics [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>217</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>captured ghosts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title is from Welcome Home, Son by Radical Face. The vibes of that song really fit in with the story I tried to write, so check it out if you get the chance! </p><p>Anyways, looking back at my first work I published here to this one, I really do think I improved! (Outside of my recent dnf, still not totally confident with that one.) I'm glad to be on this writing journey, and this year has been really fun for writing as a hobby. </p><p>There is referenced suicide in this story, so please, read the tags, and click off if that could be a trigger for you. Stay safe, my dears, and remember that you are so so loved. </p><p>Also, happy holidays!</p><p>I hope you enjoy :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A gentle breeze whistled through the nearby trees, illuminated by glowing stars.</p><p>The acres of snow shimmered under the moonlight, stretching out in every direction as far as the eye could see. </p><p>It was a quiet night on the balcony. </p><p>Phil was alone.</p><p>Or at least, he thought he was.</p><p>You’d think that given the man’s rather impressive record as a survivalist, and as a soldier, he would have heard the three boys behind him coming sooner, especially since none of them were particularly quiet. Somehow, though, his sons were able to sneak up on him. </p><p>“Phil!”</p><p>The man whirled around to two beaming faces, and a third with sparkling eyes and a slightly lopsided smile. Phil grinned. </p><p>“Boys! Why are you all awake? It’s late!” The three began elbowing each other, before the youngest finally spoke up. </p><p>“It was Wilbur,” he said indignantly. The eldest scoffed. </p><p>“That’s a lie, Phil,” Wilbur announced. “Tommy was scared of the dark so he came in to sleep in me and Techie’s room.”</p><p>“That’s not true!”</p><p>“Is so!”</p><p>“Is not!”</p><p>“I can confirm,” Techno added with a smirk. “He was shaking like a leaf.”</p><p>Phil rolled his eyes at his sons’ antics, his quiet moment all but forgotten. He tried to pull an exasperated face, but his smile betrayed his true feelings.</p><p>“There’s no need to be scared, Toms,” he said kindly, a twinkle in his eyes. </p><p>“I wasn’t scared!” he insisted. “Wilbur’s just trying to make me look dumb.”</p><p>“Am not!”</p><p>“Are too!”</p><p>“Am not!”</p><p>“Boys, settle down,” Phil interrupted. He ruffled Tommy’s hair, affection shining through the gesture. “If you’re all awake now, we might as well watch a movie or something.”</p><p>The three children muttered in dissent before finally agreeing on a movie to watch. They all pushed and shoved to get back into the house, leaving Phil to follow them. He smiled to himself.</p><p>His sons were the world to him. </p><p>They were everything. </p><p>And as he settled in to the couch that night, surrounded by his bickering children and sipping hot cocoa, he swore to himself that he would never let any of them get hurt as long as he lives.</p><p>A father’s oath cannot be broken. </p><p>*****</p><p>Phil failed Wilbur first. </p><p>He did not recognize the man before him, covered in scratches and excess gunpowder, eyes wild like a caged animal. His hands were shaking, jittery, like he didn’t know what to do with them. His coat was covered in bloodstains and mud. The grin sliding across his once-gentle face was more manic than Phil had ever seen it. </p><p>This was no longer his son. No, the man before him was a stranger. </p><p>So when he handed Phil the sword, begging for him to kill him, stab him, leave him lying on the cool stone beneath them, Phil only hesitated for a moment. </p><p>Maybe this could get that crazed look out of his eyes. Maybe it could bring back eyes with a honey-brown warmth, a glint only satisfied by a guitar and a pick. Maybe this could bring back his Wilbur. </p><p>But as the sword went through his chest, and his body slumped over, and red began staining his jacket and his shirt and the frozen ground under them, Phil realized what he had done. </p><p>And seeing the light leave the eyes that once belonged to his son, Phil recognized that this wasn’t the moment he had failed him. </p><p>He had failed Wilbur long before this. </p><p>And now he was gone. </p><p>*****</p><p>Phil broke his promise to Tommy second. </p><p>The boy had been alone for far too long. Scared of putting him in even more danger, his father didn’t come to visit. </p><p>Not once.</p><p>So Tommy withered away, slowly becoming more and more emaciated, figure matching the sticks found in the forest by his tent. He was tired. Too tired.</p><p>He wasn’t tired enough to stop him from building a tower, though. After all, once Tommy set his mind to something, it would be seen through. </p><p>No matter what. </p><p>He made sure to build the pillar tall enough for there to be excess time as he fell.</p><p>High enough so that there would be space for a certain winged individual to catch him, perhaps. </p><p>But Phil wasn’t there in his hour of need, and the boy stuttered out a final breath softly before hitting the ground with a sickening crack.</p><p>He did not get back up.</p><p>Phil was too late. </p><p>And as the man cradled his youngest’s broken form, far lighter than he should have been, sobs wracked his body. He wrapped his wings around the mangled figure tighter, and punched the sand next to him, once, twice, a thousand times. For in that moment, he knew. </p><p>He had failed a son once again.</p><p>*****</p><p>The final shard of Phil’s oath broke with Technoblade.</p><p>He had been captured, forced into house arrest behind enemy lines. The President kept him under constant watch, monitored with technology he had already tried to worm out of. </p><p>He should have known that Techno would have only seen that as a challenge. </p><p>After all, Technoblade never dies. </p><p>So when his door was broken down by his son, he was startled, but certainly not surprised. Techno gripped his arm firmly and helped him stand, and Phil couldn’t resist taking his child in his arms in a breathless hug. It had been too long. </p><p>Had he known what was about to occur, he certainly wouldn’t have let go. </p><p>But Phil was blissfully unaware, and so he took the sword and armor his son gave him eagerly, ready to prepare for his escape. </p><p>It fell apart almost as soon as it started. </p><p>Guards were immediately alerted as the two sprinted out of the house, rushing through the streets of L’Manberg. Techno brandished his crossbow behind him and shot over his shoulder at their pursuers, hitting one and slowing down the other. </p><p>“Run!” Techno shouted through gritted teeth, shoving Phil forward. Phil grabbed his hand and pulled him faster. </p><p>“I’m not leaving you behind,” he panted. “Come on, Techno.”</p><p>Techno started slowing to a jog. His eyes filled with sorrow.</p><p>Phil’s heart dropped.</p><p>“They’re not after you,” Techno said mournfully. “They were just using you to get to me.”</p><p>“Don’t do this, Techno,” he breathed. His chest felt like it was caving in on him. He grabbed his son’s hand with a newfound energy and began almost dragging him onwards. “We still have time! We can get out of this!”</p><p>“We can’t,” Techno murmured gently. “Extra ranks are already on their way. We can’t get out of this.” His eyes shone. “You can, though.”</p><p>And with that, Techno pulled his hand from his father’s and turned away from their escape route.</p><p>Away from home.</p><p>He pressed a lead into Phil’s hand. </p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Carl,” he said. He unsheathed his sword. </p><p>“Go, Phil. Find Carl. Go back to the Antarctic Empire. You’ll be safe there.” </p><p>“What did I just say? I’m not fucking leaving you behind!” Phil cried, but Techno had already made his decision. He pushed his father in the direction of the tundra and began stalking back towards the soldiers. </p><p>Phil froze. He couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t he breathe? </p><p>“Techno! No!”</p><p>He rushed forward, but the damage was already done. Techno threw his sword onto the grass, holding his hands up in the air. He kneeled before the two men, in complete surrender. </p><p>Phil didn’t hear the sickening <i>thunk</i> of his son’s head hitting the dirt. The only thing he could hear was his own scream echoing in his ears.</p><p>It didn’t matter anymore.</p><p>The father’s broken promise had claimed his final son. </p><p>Phil stumbled almost drunkenly for another mile until he spotted Techno’s horse. He mounted Carl, spurred him in the direction of home, and leaned down on his mane, tears blurring his vision.</p><p>He nestled his face into the horse’s hair, and screamed until his throat was raw.</p><p>*****</p><p>A gentle breeze whistled through the nearby trees, illuminated by glowing stars.</p><p>The acres of snow shimmered under the moonlight, stretching out in every direction as far as the eye could see. </p><p>It was a quiet night on the balcony. </p><p>And Phil was alone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>please let me know what you think!</p><p>and to clarify my boundaries as a writer, as i've seen some others do recently, for those of you with social media, feel free to share this story and talk about it however you'd like! my only plea would be to please don't shove it in any of the cc's faces. their comfort is our #1 priority as fan writers, and that's something I really don't want. feel free to say hi to me on twitter though! @mintyyfreshtwt :)</p><p>anyways, drop a comment! tell me anything! i read every single one.</p><p>i love you all, and i hope you all had a fantastic holiday season. this was a shit year for the entire world, but the support and especially the comments i've gotten on some of my past works have truly made my year. thank you all so much for sticking with me. &lt;3</p><p>-minty</p></blockquote></div></div>
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